Monday, June 26, 2006

the compassionate cafeteria woman, CMH Chicago

So for all the BA [ed. note: BA - Biliary Atresia, the leading cause for pediatric liver transplants] parents out there, remember the day you got the diagnosis? On the day that Danny was diagnosed and the doctor said transplant, my knees buckled. After a couple of hours of crying my mom took me outside for a breath of air. I was crying in the elevator and there was a cafeteria worker in the elevator with us. She promply rubbed my arm and asked me if she could buy me a cup of coffee. I declined as I was too upset to do anything. The next day I saw her in the cafeteria and she asked me how I was and told me she was praying for me and my family. I think it goes without saying how much the doctors and nurses give, I could go on forever about our nurse Joan! But, it amazed me even more how every single person at Children's Memorial [ed. note: in Chicago, Illinois] tries to give you support. The only thing this woman could offer me for comfort was a cup of coffee and a prayer and she took the time to try. To this day, thinking of that day makes me cry, but she warms my heart!